Awning, cover, portable shed...help!

ST1100Y

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Joined
Dec 4, 2012
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Vienna, AuSTria
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637
How you gonna anchor it on that parking lot? (dunno about the storm statistics on your area there...)
Then there aspects like larceny, vandalism, graffiti, dog pee...
 
Joined
Dec 5, 2014
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180
Location
Hobbs, NM
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2004 ST1300A
Is there a good cover that you could use? They are portable, don't take up much room, and relatively inexpensive. Trailers can be easily stolen, canopies aren't designed for long term use, and a shed would be expensive.

Also, ST's are taller than most people think. I rented a trailer to bring mine back home (thank goodness, we hit a bad ice storm coming back) and getting it in, getting off, and getting out wasn't easy. Plus opening/closing/locking/unlocking every time would be a pain. The mini tent garages are a good solution, but I don't think the manager wants you to get a permanent parking spot (even when you are out riding) and he probably wouldn't like you doing holes for anchors.
 
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nhdiesel
Joined
Feb 27, 2011
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3,357
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52
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Rindge, NH
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2006 ST1300
I'm not worried about theft or vandalism. It is very safe here. More often than not the key is in the bike, GPSs and radar detector left on it, tools in the panniers, etc. We have a decent surround of trees do wind doesn't get too bad. The only downside is even a soft shed/garage like that wouldn't be portable enough and would probably be large enough for the landlord not to like it.

I won't go with another cover. I tried that with the KLR and all it did was trap moisture inside and quickly rust the bike. I'd rather leave the bike uncovered. My ST has spent all but one winter outside uncovered. Not great for it, but honestly most damage has been done by the sun, not the rain. That is why even just a canopy would keep sun and direct rain off the bikes, unfortunately a basic canopy can't be secured on the pavement so even very mild wind would take it away.
 
Joined
Nov 10, 2012
Messages
199
Location
Holderness, NH
Bike
ST1300 2012
Is there enough weight for it to stay put in the wind without attaching it to anything, yet still be able to move it when I have to?

I need to get one of those little bikini style covers for when I travel. Mainly to hide the gadgets from prying eyes.
Weight: Mine came with a bracket that spanned the ends of the front of the barn. The intent is to spike it down but one of the tubes of sand sitting on it holds it pretty well. It also makes a good stop to rest the front tire against! You could also put a tube of sand on each side and tie it down to them.
 
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
8,112
Location
Cleveland
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2010 ST1300
unfortunately a basic canopy can't be secured on the pavement so even very mild wind would take it away.
Nonsense. You can get solid concrete blocks and use ropes from each corner to say 3 or 4 blocks to hold it down. Of course I doubt if this would withstand a hurricane, but surely if the canopy is rated for moderate winds, you can anchor it down. This of course does not address your landlord's concerns.

It seems to me that a frank talk with your landlord is in order. We have some rental property and have allowed good tenants a lot of leeway, regardless of what the lease says. The key here is being reasonable and talking to the guy/woman like he is a human being. It is really amazing how many of our tenants regard us with suspicion and distrust and after getting to know us as people, change their attitude. Some have become friends. And some never get past treating us as inferiors. (My wife and I have been renting for not quite 40 years - ever since we bought our first house, a duplex.)

This is not a problem you can solve alone.
 
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